[littlgriz]

hi friends ok i had a good talk with my moma to day and i thout isd ask what do you all do fore chrismtmas what are sum of the things your cuntreys do fore christmas

[Swan]

Well, basically...
We prepare the Christmas tree at the beginning of december.
And put presents under the Christmas tree... and unpack them at midnight of December 24th.

Some people also have a big dinner on the 24th, then go to the religious function at midnight, then come back home and unpack the presents. This is very typical of South Italy but it is also becoming a habit in the whole country. My family have different habits, we just eat a little on the 24th, and have a big big lunch on the 25th. It basically depends what part of Italy you are from, and what are your family traditions.

One of the best Christmas nights I ever spent was last year. I met up with some friends in a pub in Bologna. We had a little dinner together and then a friend of us called Francesca, who is also a musical performer (he was in the German tour of Cats) sang many songs for us, just a piano and her voice. It was a magic night.

Swan - Italian Jellicle

[Mixu]

First, I LOVE Christmas. It's the part of the year, which you know will be great every year. Last Christmas kinda went by because of the army, but it's here again! And all this talk about not liking Christmas because it's so mercantile (not sure if it's the right word) is BS. Christmas was a bagan feast at first anyway (atleast here it was.) Christmas is what you make of it.

Anyway, to the topic. Doesn't really have to do anything with Christmas, but 6th of December is Finlands Independence Day. Tuntematon Sotilas, the Unknown Soldier, is shown every 6th of December, and there's a ball at presidents castle. I think every adult (I don't count myself as one) is forced by law to watch it on TV. I can't imagine how anyone would think that as a good entertainment. The ladies' costumes are subject of conversation in every tabloid little before and little after the ball.

Ad the Christmassy stuff. About two weeks before Christmas eve, the "fun" begins. Atleast at our house, don't know about others. Cleaning, shopping, decoration, making gingerbread biscuits and such. And the really Christmassy stuff. The day before Christmas eve the Christmas tree is brought in and decorated. Christmas peace is announced at twelve. By that time, we are usually eating rice porridge. About 2-4 pm we go to sauna. Then get prepared for Christmas dinner. Then the dinner, which is ALWAYS great. Then some coffee and opening presents. Usually atleast my mom goes with her mom and sisters to graveyard sometime around 0-2 am. And thats about it. On 25th there's really nothing. Just hanging around and playind with the new toys .

[EDIT] Oh yeah, and Santa Claus is from Finland. Not North pole like some claim

[Jemima57]

First of all, I love the month of December !

At the beginning of the month, we make the Christmas tree. In some cities, Christmas markets open and then comes "Saint Nicolas". Those two events are typical of the part of France where I live, in the rest of France they don't even know who Saint Nicolas is. Saint Nicolas is on December 6th, but on the nearest Sunday, there are in nearly every town a sort of small parade, with all associations like for example football clubs, with the bad Père Fouettard running in the streets with wood to 'hit' gently kids, and at the end of the parade there is Saint Nicolas throwing candys to the crowd.
Here they are : http://tatygoulay.canalblog.com/Photo_0009.jpg
During the following week, Saint Nicolas and Père Fouettard visit all schools. Usually, kids make a little play, representing Saint Nicolas' legend. Of course, everyone get candy (unless they made something bad, in that case they are supposed to get wood).
In some family like mine who also have some Luxemburgish traditions, kids get also some gifts and a "corbeille de Saint Nicolas" : a basket with oranges, gingerbread, chocolate representing St Nicolas, marzipan,...

Then of course comes Christmas, on 24th December we get our presents, make a dinner and then go to Church. On 25th December, we have the traditionnal Christmas lunch, turkey with chestnuts.

[Carbucketty]

La légende de Saint Nicolas comme la chanson: "Ils étaient trois petits enfants qui s'en allaient glaner aux champs."

In St. James Parish and surronding parishs, near where I am currently living, they have annual tradition of lighting bonfires "feux de joie" along the Mississippi River in order to help Papa Noel find his way into town or to help people find the way to midnight mass, whatever you want to believe.

--

[Jemima57]

[littlgriz]

[littlgriz]

[littlgriz]

[littlgriz]

[littlgriz]

[littlgriz]

ok on christmas eve we had my god parents cum we had hame ore turkey
and union corncheese caserol and sevan layer saled and a pie andd sum kokanut cake thats the waye we yoused to do it m tha lats 3 years have bin a stresfal time fore my brother and me and my mom my dad all wayes mac=de christmas stresful dadey made evrey one nervas at christmas im sooo glad we have aneew dadey nowe ok back to our tradiwsho9ns we poen presants on christmas eeve but first we have a bible treding first then sing sum songs and tel Jesus hawe we areso gtgrate fful fore him cuming as a babey thin the presants are open o and i make shugerbiskets im lerning that word lol ok on christmas day we go to visat friends thin we go to our grandparents house last year we goto have momas famley on chtchristmas day and my grame and grandadey came ewith sum of our cusins we spent christmas day with our faf thank the lord it wasere anice time im so glad in a lot of wayes im clad that hes a part of my life sinse the devorce and sepration and evan be fore that most of my life dadey made evrey one nervas